# East Bengal become first Indian club to reach AFC Women's Champions League knockouts _East Bengal reached the quarter-finals despite a 2-0 defeat to 4.25 SC in Kolkata._ - Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in) - Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/east-bengal-become-first-indian-club-to-reach-afc-women-s-champions-league - Author: Rohit, Sports writer (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/rohit) - Published: 2026-11-07T19:18:05.721Z - Section: Football > Champions League - Topics: East Bengal, AFC Women's Champions League, 4.25 SC, Indian women's football ## Summary East Bengal became the first Indian club to reach the AFC Women's Champions League quarter-finals. The Kolkata side advanced as one of the two best third-placed teams despite losing its final Group B match. ## Key takeaways - East Bengal lost 2-0 to 4.25 SC in Kolkata on Saturday - East Bengal advanced as one of the two best third-placed teams across three groups - East Bengal finished third in Group B with three points and a goal difference of -4 - Ayeyawady of Myanmar finished with three points and a goal difference of -6 ## Article 25 SC in their final Group B fixture at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday. The Kolkata side advanced to the last eight as one of the two best third-placed teams across the three groups in the continental club competition. 25 SC topped the group with nine points after winning all three matches. ## Qualification equation East Bengal needed to avoid a heavy defeat to remain in contention for one of the two available best third-placed spots. The qualification equation became clearer after South Korea's Hwacheon KSPO WFC secured second place with a 3-1 victory over Ho Chi Minh City WFC earlier in the day. East Bengal's hopes also depended on results in the other groups. Myanmar's Ayeyawady Women's FC finished its Group A campaign with three points and a goal difference of minus six, while three teams in Group C finished with six points. Having started the day with a goal difference of minus two, East Bengal needed to ensure that its defeat did not exceed a three-goal margin. The Red and Gold brigade held firm in the second half, preventing April 25 SC from adding to its tally and preserving its qualification hopes. ## Match details 25 SC stamped its authority on the contest right from the opening whistle, taking the lead in the second minute when Han Jin-Hong headed home to put the North Korean side ahead. Pak Ok I delivered a cross from the right flank, which Han Jin Hong converted with a powerful header. The North Korean side dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities, but goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu produced two impressive saves to keep the Kolkata outfit in the contest. The pressure eventually told again in the 43rd minute when Oh Sol-Song found the net with a long-range effort, doubling April 25 SC's advantage and taking East Bengal's goal difference to minus four. A free-kick from Pom Hui created confusion inside the East Bengal penalty area, allowing Jong Pok Yong to collect the loose ball and set up Oh Sol Song, who finished calmly into the bottom corner. ## Second half resistance East Bengal goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi made an important save five minutes after the restart, tipping Jong Ryong Jong's curling free-kick over the crossbar. 25 SC continued to create opportunities, with Oh Sol Song heading over the bar from Myong Yu Jong's cross in the 68th minute. East Bengal pushed forward in the closing stages in search of a goal but failed to breach the North Korean side's defence. Adama Alhassan, Abena Opoku, Shilky Devi and Sushmita Lepcha were among the standout performers, while goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu made crucial saves to ensure that East Bengal maintained the required goal difference. ## Historic achievement With this achievement, East Bengal became the first Indian club to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League. Uzbekistan's Nasaf finished as the best third-placed team with six points, while East Bengal and Group A's Ayeyawady of Myanmar were tied on three points. East Bengal secured qualification due to their superior goal difference of -4 compared to Ayeyawady's -6. Speaking at the post-match press conference, East Bengal coach Anthony Andrews admitted that he had almost given up hope of qualification at half-time. "I had already given up hope of qualification after the first half, but the girls showed why we are here. The character was tremendous," Andrews said. ## What happens next The knockout stage will be played in a single-leg format, with the semi-finals and final taking place at a centralised venue. For the quarter-finals, teams will be seeded based on their performances in the group stage. The three group winners and the best second-placed team will be seeded and will also host their respective matches. Teams from the same group will not be drawn against each other. ## About East Bengal East Bengal Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal, is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is best known for its professional men's football team that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL), the top flight of the Indian football league system. It is one of the most successful football clubs in the country. The club has other departments for women's football, men's and women's cricket, field hockey, athletics and eSports. ### Group B final standings and comparison | Team | Points | Goal difference | | --- | --- | --- | | East Bengal | 3 | -4 | | Ayeyawady | 3 | -6 | | Nasaf | 6 | | ### Related on Apex Sports News - [East Bengal seeks first AFC Champions League Two win against Al-Seeb](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/east-bengal-seeks-first-afc-champions-league-two-win-against-al-seeb) - [AFC Women's Champions League: East Bengal loses 1-4 to Hwacheon KSPO](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/afc-women-s-champions-league-east-bengal-loses-1-4-to-hwacheon-kspo) - [East Bengal 0-2 Al-Seeb](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/east-bengal-0-2-al-seeb) ### Sources - [NDTV Sports](https://sports.ndtv.com/football/east-bengal-become-first-indian-club-to-reach-afc-womens-champions-league-knockouts-12298302#publisher=newsstand) - [RevSportz](https://revsportz.in/east-bengal-make-history-become-first-indian-club-to-reach-afc-womens-champions-league-knockouts/) - [Photo: Arnabsaha2212, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83351544) --- Source: Apex Sports News, https://apexsportsnews.in/news/east-bengal-become-first-indian-club-to-reach-afc-women-s-champions-league. 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